Brake band



y 1933- s. SCHNELL 1919,533

BRAKE BAND Fileo'l Feb. 26, 1932 Fig.2. Lx Fig.-1

6 venwr STEVE SCHNELL.

Patehted July 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEVE SCHNELL, OF ST,LOUIS, MISSO'URI, ASSIGNOR T WAGNER ELECTRIG COBIORA- TION, O! ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI, A COBPORA'IION OF DELAWARE BRAKE BAND Application filedFebruary 26, 1932. Serial N0. 595,260.

My invention relates to braking apparatns and more particularly to brakeshoes, its

principal object being to produce an i1nproved brake shoe of thereinforced band? the shoe.

Other objects of mv invention will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accornpanying drawingdisclosing several embodiments thereof. Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa brake disclosing the preferred form of my improved brake band; Figure2 is a cross sectional view of the band on the 1ine 22 of Fignre l;Figure 3 is a view illustrating one method of separating the web fromthe plane of a T section band; Figures 4 and 5 are cross sectional viewsof modified brake bands; Figure 6 is a side elevation of a brake shoe oft-he band type produced from a separate web and flange welded together(the drum being omitted) and Figure 7 is a cross sectional view on theline 7-7 of Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the numeral 1 indicates the drum of thebrake which is secured in the usual manner to the wheel 0f the vehicleand is enclosed on its open side by the backing plate o1 support 2sec'ured to some fixed part of the vehicle. The brake shoe 3 is shown asthe reinforced band type and is mounted within the drum and adapted tohave its free ends expanded into engagement therewith by suitable means.such as the hydraulic mechanism 4. The brake shoe 3 is shown as the Tsection form. althongh it 40 may be of the channel type if desired, and

comprises a drum engaging element or flange 6 and an integral web 5. Thecenter of the web is shown as nrovided with an elongated opening 7 forthe recention of an anchor pin 8 carried by the support 2.

When brake shoes of uniform cross section are applied to the drum, thepressure between the shoe and the drum is not uniform over the entiresurface of contact. The difference in pressure is due to the wrappingeifeet o1:

tl1e sl1oe and in band brakes th'e additional efl'oct of the unevenbending movement of the band. In the type of brake illustrated inF1gu1e. 1 when an anehor is used at the center of the band the maximumnressure between the shoe and the drum will occur on the forward side ofthe anchor. T0 decrease this maximum pressure and d0 away with theresulting disadvantages such as uneven wear of the lining, squealing,etc., I have couceived the idea of increasing the fiexibility 0f tl1eshoe over tl1e portion havin.q the exces- S1Ve high pressure byseparating the web at this point from the drum engaging element 01flange.

In Figures 1 to 3, I have disclosed one method of increasing theflexibility of the shoe at the place desired by separating the web 5from the flange 6. The band is first formed in the usual manner byshaping the desired length 0f T section steel 130 conform with thecircumference of the drum. The portion of the flange that is joined bythe web is then cut away over the part of the circumference of the bandthat is desired to be made more flexible. This cutting is best performedby the use of a milling cutter 9 of the proper diameter, as clearlyshown in Figure 3. The cutter is al lowed to cut completely throngh theflange 6 and also cut away a small portion of the web 5. The cut-awayportion of the band allows the web and the flange to have relativemovement when the band is expanded by the actuating mechanism 4 and theband, therefore, will not have the pressure on the drum that it wouldhave if its fiexibility had not been increased. The increasing of theflexibility of the band over the portion of maximum pressure also hasthe eflect of distributing the maximum pressaure.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate two other methods of separating the web frornthe flange which I may employ to secure the same result attained by themethod shown in Figure 1. In Figure 4 the web is separated from t-heflange by cutting away the web Where it eins the flange by a straightcut through the web. In Figure 5, instead of cutting straight throughthe web by means of one cutting operation, I employ a Vsbaped cut,requinng two cutting 0perat1ons, me fror n euch side 0f the web. It isto be n0ted in th1s method that part of 00th the web and the flange iscut away ab their peints 0f jo1nder.

In Figures 6 and 7, I have shown a brake band in which the web und drumengaging element are made of separate arts. The drum engaging element 6and the web 5 are first formed to the proper circumference and thenwelded together, except over the ort1on of the band desired to be mademore exible. If the space between the outer edge of the web 5 and theelement 6 is not great enough t0 give the desired flexibility, the edge0f the web adjacent the flange may be slightly cut away, as sbown.

The flexibility of any desired portion or portions of the sboe may bereadily increased in the manner described, and in Figure 6, I haveillustrated a brake band in which the web is separate from the flange atpoints between the center and each end of the band.

From the foregoing disclo'sure of my invention it will be seen that Ihave provided a very simple method of modifying flexibility andcontrolling pressure distribution between the band and the drum.

Having fully described rny invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent of the United States is:

1. A substantially 360 degree brake band comprising a lining carryingflange and a reinforeing web extending tbroughout the len;rth 0f theband, said web bein so secured t0 the fiange tbroughout the majorportion 0f the lengtb of the band as to preVent relative movement in aradial direution between said web and flange during brake applicationbut said web being free from thefiange throughout a substantial arcintermediate the endsof the band t0 permit such relative movement.

2. A brake band comprising a lining carrying flange and a reinforcingweb extending throughout the length of the band and integral therewiththroughout the major portion of the length of the band, said web beingfree of and spaced from the flange throughout a substantial arcintermediate the ends STEVE SCHNELL.

